Owego retreat helps those with Eating Disorders

By JoAnn R. Walter —

HeaHea Retreat, a licensed Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for individuals dealing with eating disorders, serves families in New York’s southern tier and northern Pennsylvania. HeaHea offers free consultations and is accepting admissions and referrals at 537 Glenmary Dr., Owego, N.Y.

HeaHea Retreat, whose name is derived from the words “Healing and Health,” is described as fulfilling a critical need in our region. Several nearby counties will benefit from HeaHea’s services.

Representatives shared that eating disorders are life-threatening mental illnesses, yet families in rural areas often face long waitlists or must send their children for care far from home.

Now with a facility in Owego, HeaHea offers a structured daily treatment program featuring medical, nutritional, therapeutic, and educational support, all under one roof.

HeaHea President Nadia Constant and CEO Georges Oswald remarked, “HeaHea is not just a program; it is a lifeline for families,” and added, “This is not just treatment; it’s a transformation.”

Dr. Keith Nichols, who has practiced in Owego for over 40 years, serves as the Medical Director at HeaHea.

Dr. Nichols explained, “Eating disorders are a complex mental and physical illness or a collection of illnesses.” 

“They are highly prevalent and have very significant public health implications,” he stated, adding, “That prevalence has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dr. Nichols continued, “The HeaHea Retreat will provide holistic multidisciplinary treatment for this tricky problem. Nadia and Georges have put together a dedicated and empathetic professional team that will be able to provide high-level care right here in our little town. I am honored to be involved as the Medical Director.” 

Constant and Oswald noted that the facility has recently increased its capacity to thirty and, in turn, can help hundreds annually. Originally focused on helping young people ages 11-17, Constant and Oswald announced that as of Jan. 1, HeaHea will begin to serve individuals up to age 30.

The program integrates evidence-based therapy and holistic healing, along with onsite academics, so that youth do not have to choose between recovery and education. 

HeaHea is licensed by the NYS OMH (Office of Mental Health), and is in-network with Carelon, Fidelis, MVP, Excellus, and Aetna, with other approvals pending. 

Lori Morgan, Director of Community Services for Tioga County Mental Hygiene, stated, “HeaHea is passionate about its services, and we are fortunate to have them in the county.”

Morgan noted that she and other staff have voluntarily offered their services while HeaHea ramps up to find the right mix of professional staff. Tioga County assisted HeaHea with some financial support.

HeaHea is located in the former Glenmary Inn, a grandiose 1857 Italianate mansion set upon a hill at 537 Glenmary Dr. in Owego, N.Y. Constant and Oswald purchased it in 2022. 

The mansion is described as a timeless architectural treasure surrounded by 40 acres of nature and wild beauty.

Looking back to 1997, the owner at the time had inquired with Robert Taylor of Taylor Garbage about how many dumpsters it would take for the building’s demolition. Mrs. Taylor reportedly saved the historic building from demolition by purchasing it and turned it into the Glenmary Inn, a bed and breakfast. The property’s original history also includes its time as a sanitarium and later in the 1960’s as an independent care facility.

Today, the HeaHea owners have transformed the property inside with modern comforts, including sunlit therapy rooms and soulful spaces that invite calm and connection.

Outside, the adjacent land features a 500-plus-year-old white oak tree, which prominently stands on the grounds and is the oldest of its kind in the region and state. Walking trails stretch past natural streams, a peaceful pond, and an organic garden.

HeaHea describes, “It’s here that clients of HeaHea take part in experiential gardening therapy, care for chickens, visit with a gentle horse, and learn to come back to their bodies through the rituals of land, nourishment, and belonging.”

HeaHea provides compassionate and informed guidance to help individuals and families understand which level and duration of care are most appropriate for their needs.

Their range of expertise encompasses anorexia nervosa, bulimia, avoidant restrictive food intake, orthorexia, body dysmorphic disorder, and anxiety disorders, among others. 

Referrals can come from parents, schools, healthcare professionals, or the individuals themselves. The HeaHea team, in turn, determines if a client would benefit from structured day treatment through PHP or another level of care such as IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program).

Nadia Constant grew up in New York City and graduated from New York University. She acquired her master’s from a prominent college in Switzerland, studied in China and India, and worked for over ten years in a Swiss holistic retreat centered on gut health and eating relationships.

Georges Oswald is originally from Switzerland and worked in ventures and banking, as well as mined in Africa for 13 years. While there, he shared his philanthropic and humanitarian side and helped build around 60 schools, homes, roads, and more.

Today, they see Owego as a beautiful town and enjoy the lifestyle. Nadia searched for some time for the perfect match for the HeaHea Retreat, and both are pleased to have found the historic property on Glenmary Drive.

To learn more, visit their website, https://heahearetreat.com/, or call 1-607-HEAHEA (298-5885).